The Italian Affair (7 page)

They had only gone a few yards down the concrete path when Gina squinted her eyes in the bright glare of the sun and said, ‘Oh, I’ve left my sunglasses on the kitchen table. I’ll just run back and get them.’ She hurried back up the worn path until she reached the kitchen door.

When she went inside, she found Rick’s mother humming softly to herself, her hands already in the sink. ‘I just forgot these,’ said Gina, and reached out for her sunglasses lying on the table. She slipped them on.

Mrs Caruso turned and dried her hands on a towel. She smiled at Gina, her brown eyes sympathetic. ‘I’m sorry about your sister; it’s an awful tragedy. Please, if there is anything I can do, anything at all, you will let me know?’

Gina’s throat tightened unexpectedly. Rick was lucky to have a mother like this, she thought, and she hoped he damned well realized it.

‘Thank you. You’re very kind, Mrs Caruso.’

Mrs Caruso put her hand on Gina’s arm. ‘I know Rick is looking after you. And he will look after you, you know. He’s dependable. A good man.’ She smiled again. ‘And don’t forget you’re welcome here anytime.’

‘
Grazie
,’ Gina replied shakily, feeling a sudden urge to cry on this woman’s shoulder. Although she had only met Rick’s mother a few minutes ago, she couldn’t help but wish that if her mother had been alive today, she would have been like this woman standing in front of her. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her grandparents and wasn’t grateful to them for looking after Maria and herself all these years but there was something about having a mother and father which nothing could ever replace. Would her life have been different if they had lived? It was a question she had often asked herself.

By the time, she got to the car, Gina had almost returned to normal.

Rick noticed her quietness. ‘Is there something wrong?’

Gina swallowed again, not sure how to answer. ‘No, should there be?’ she lied. She paused slightly. ‘I like your mother and father,’ she said simply.

He grinned. ‘Yeah, we have our ups and downs sometimes, but we’re a pretty close family really.’

‘I’m surprised you’ve never married.’ When she realized what she had said, she could have kicked herself for speaking so impulsively. What business was it of hers if he hadn’t got himself hitched?

He threw his head back and chuckled. ‘Marriage?’ He shook his head. ‘I’m not ready to settle down. Besides, I’m not sure I even
want to get married. I’ve seen too much of what can go wrong.’ He paused reflectively. ‘When I was a cop, marriage split-ups were common. The stress, long hours on duty. I’ve seen some guys really cut up when their marriage fell apart. There’s no way I want to go through that.’

‘You can hardly apply that situation to your parent’s marriage.’

‘No, that’s true, but they’re an exception. But if and when I do marry I want to make sure it’s the right person.’

It was Gina’s turn to laugh out loud, the bitterness coming through in her voice. ‘We all take a chance whether you like it or not. There are no guarantees in this life.’ And, because her curiosity got the better of her, ‘Tell me, have you got a girlfriend? Or is it true what they say, you have a few women scattered around town?’

‘You should never listen to gossip,’ he said, his mouth lifting at the corners.

‘I wasn’t listening to gossip,’ she said indignantly. ‘It was our housekeeper, Maggie. She mentioned that her daughter, Jennifer, went out on a date with you and came home drunk.’

‘Hmm. That sounds like gossip to me.’ He shrugged again. ‘Yeah, I remember her daughter very well. Nice girl.’ And because he couldn’t resist it, he added teasingly, ‘With a nice butt to match.’ But what he didn’t tell Gina was Maggie’s daughter hadn’t been his date. She had been drunk at a party and he took her home because he could see she was inviting trouble wanting to drive home herself. He had merely been acting like any responsible male would. Being a cop for years had left some habits deeply ingrained. But he didn’t see why he should explain himself to Gina.

Rick fell silent as he concentrated on the road ahead. In twenty minutes, Rick drew up outside the police station. It was a
four-storey
, grey-stone, depressing-looking building in the centre of town. As Rick escorted her up the concrete steps, Gina felt the whole of the town was looking at her. Rick held the swing doors open and she stepped inside first. The waiting area was smaller than she expected and, as there was someone already at the counter being
served, she took a seat on the nearest chair to wait.

‘I won’t be a moment,’ said Rick, moving forward. He attracted the attention of a female police officer, busy typing at a computer behind the reception desk. A broad smile lit up her face.

‘G’dday Rick, back so soon?’ she said.

Rick leaned forward on the counter, his voice low. ‘Dave is expecting us. He wants to interview Gina Rosselini.’

The officer on duty glanced over at Gina curiously. ‘Yeah, and I bet she’s a handful.’

‘Can’t comment. She’s a client.’

‘Really? That’s not like you.’ She looked over at Gina again. ‘She’s attractive too. And stinking rich. Looks like you got yourself a cushy number.’

He saw the glint in her eye. He replied with a grin, ‘It’s strictly professional.’

‘Yeah, and pigs might fly….’ She paused slightly. ‘When you’ve had enough of playing private investigator I reckon you should come back. We miss you heaps.’

‘How come you never told me?’ he said, his smile widening.

Her mouth twitched. ‘I did. At your leaving party.’

Rick groaned. There were some things he preferred to forget.

She leaned forward. ‘Things just aren’t the same around here without you.’ Still chuckling, she picked up a phone within arm’s reach and, after a few seconds of conversation, swung back to Rick. ‘Dave will be with you as soon as he can. Do you want a coffee while you’re waiting?’

‘No thanks. If I remember rightly, the coffee is pretty disgusting around here.’

She laughed. ‘We’ve improved a lot since you were on the beat. We’ve now got a state of the art coffee machine. Real coffee too. None of that cheap supermarket stuff.’

‘Impressive. But I’ll save it until next time.’

Rick took a seat next to Gina and said quietly, ‘Brougham shouldn’t be too long.’

‘Do you know her?’

‘Who?’

‘The cop on reception. The one you were just talking to.’

‘Sure. We patrolled together a few times. Why?’

She shrugged. ‘No particular reason.’ But the truth was she was curious. She couldn’t help noticing the easy manner in which he talked to her.

While Rick read a magazine, Gina surveyed the other occupants in the room. A drunk, sitting in the far corner, had fallen asleep, his head lolling as he snored. On the other side, a young girl with a sullen look on her face, who looked no more than sixteen, was getting a ticking off from a youth aid police officer.

Gina’s gaze shifted to the woman who had just walked in, escorted by a female cop. The woman was a hooker, there was no mistaking the fact. She wore a short, tight, red skirt, and a low-cut black top to match. Her make-up was plastered on thickly. The woman tried to shake herself free, but the police officer firmly marched her into an interview room.

‘You’ve no right to hold me. I haven’t done anything wrong.’ Gina heard the woman say in a shrill voice.

It was a sad reminder of those unfortunate in the world and Gina was only too aware of it. But one thing she knew, the hooker hadn’t been arrested because of prostitution. That occupation was legal in New Zealand.

‘I hate police stations,’ Gina murmured uneasily.

‘You’ve been in one before?’

‘I suppose you could say that.’

A door opened and another officer appeared dressed in plain clothes. It was Senior Detective Dave Brougham. He greeted Rick first, then said, ‘This way, Ms Rosselini.’ When they reached the interview room, the door swung shut behind her with a click. Gina jumped. She stood there, unsure what to do. ‘Please take a seat.’ His officious manner immediately put her on edge.

Gina sat at one side of the formica table, keeping her eyes focused
on the man in front of her. Detective Dave Brougham was well built and in his early forties. He had red hair and fair skin. She’d met him for the first time on the day Maria had been shot when he’d taken her statement at the hospital. He’d been polite and sympathetic but she had a feeling that wouldn’t last.

He smiled briefly. ‘Right, then, Ms Rosselini … thanks for coming in. There’s a few things I’d like to go over with you.’

Gina shifted uneasily, clutching her handbag tighter. ‘Well, what would you like to know? I’ve already told you everything I can think of.’

‘How about we start at the beginning? Tell us what exactly happened on the day of the wedding.’ He switched on the small tape recorder at the side of him.

Gina repeated her story, telling them the events of the morning. ‘Maria and I got dressed at home and then the limousine called for us just before lunchtime. We were running a little late due to the busy traffic, but everything was going to plan.’ She paused slightly. ‘Maria was nervous. I guess she had every right to be. We talked in the limousine on the way to the hotel. Everything seemed fine until …’ She faltered a little. ‘You know the rest.’ She felt like crying again but fought for control. It wouldn’t help Maria if she burst into tears every time she was interviewed.

‘Would you like to take a break?’ asked the detective, unexpectedly.

She looked at him in surprise. ‘No … no … I’m fine. Really I am. I just want to get this over with.’ Gina rummaged in her bag for a piece of paper. ‘This is a complete list of all the guests’ names you asked me for. The hotel handled the catering, but I also hired some extra people like the musicians.’

Brougham surveyed the list, and then laid it down in front of him on the table. ‘Are you sure that’s all that happened. There’s nothing else you can recall? I want you to think really carefully.’

‘No … no … there’s nothing else.’

‘What about the guests who didn’t come to the wedding?’

Gina’s brow’s knitted together. ‘You mean cancellations?’

‘That’s right.’

Gina frowned, concentrating hard. ‘If I remember rightly, a couple of guests phoned at the last minute. One of them was Anthony’s secretary, Denise Thompson, who was sick and couldn’t make it, and also an elderly cousin of my grandfather’s who’d had a fall and broken her arm.’

The Detective scribbled on the pad in front of him. Then he looked up. ‘Do you have any idea why anyone would want to shoot your sister?’

Purposely, she kept her voice level. ‘You’ve already asked me this and really I have no idea. Maria was quite popular. She had lots of friends.’ Her voice tailed off again as she stared into space. Her chin lifted. ‘There is one thing … I’m not sure but …’ She shrugged, ‘well, it may be nothing.’

Brougham’s eyes narrowed. ‘We’re willing to look at any detail no matter how insignificant you think it is.’

Gina bit her lip as she held his gaze. ‘I just remembered. The week before the wedding, Maria had a couple of distressing phone calls.’ She paused again, trying to remember exactly what the caller had said. ‘Maria was a bit upset over it, but she didn’t want to make a fuss especially when we were so busy with the wedding arrangements.’

‘Did she recognize the caller?’

Gina thought for a moment. ‘No. I don’t think so, but she did say it was a woman’s voice.’

‘And she didn’t tell you what the caller said?’

‘No, she didn’t. Maria dismissed it as a misunderstanding and didn’t want to talk about it.’

‘You didn’t think that a bit odd?’

‘Actually, I did, because we always tell each other everything. But I respected her wishes.’

The detective wrote something down on the pad in front of him. ‘We’ll make enquiries and see if we can trace the call.’ He paused briefly. ‘We found the room the shooter was in. He rented the room
under the name Mr Grey, then disappeared.’

‘I’ve never heard of him.’

‘A red rose was found on the windowsill in the room? Does that mean anything to you?’

Gina shook her head. ‘No. It doesn’t.’ She hesitated. ‘But red roses are my favourite flower.’

‘Who gave you red roses last?’

‘Maria did. On my birthday. A few weeks ago.’

‘What about Anthony? Do you get on OK?’

‘What do you mean?’ she answered warily.

‘We know there were harsh words said between you the night before the wedding. I understand you had an argument.’

Gina’s mouth parted in surprise. ‘Did he tell you that?’

‘I’m not at liberty to disclose that, I’m sorry.’

Gina took a deep breath. ‘Yes, that’s true. We had an argument. He was being his usual awkward self so I might as well be honest about it. He was upset because I’d taken more staff on for the wedding. He said we were way over budget.’

‘So you don’t get on?’ Brougham prompted.

Gina hesitated. ‘I suppose that’s one way of putting it. We rub each other up the wrong way.’ She took a deep breath before adding, ‘I had my doubts over his sincerity in marrying Maria.’

‘In what way?’

‘It’s difficult to explain,’ she said lamely.

‘Then please try.’

‘OK. Maria will inherit money after her marriage. It was a condition in my parents’ will.’

‘I’d hardly say Anthony’s short of a dollar or two himself especially since he is one of the top lawyers in the city,’ Brougham said drily. ‘Somehow accusing Anthony Monopoli of being a fortune-hunter doesn’t make sense.’

‘I don’t mean he’s a fortune-hunter exactly. He’s merely ambitious. Marrying my sister, Maria, granddaughter of the owner of Rosselini Fishing Industries, would lift his status in the business
community even more. The inheritance would be the icing on the cake.’

‘I see,’ replied Brougham thoughtfully. ‘You and Anthony used to date, didn’t you?’

‘No, we didn’t,’ she answered sharply. ‘I met him for dinner on a couple of occasions to discuss business.’

‘What sort of business?’

‘A couple of projects I had in mind. That’s all.’ For some reason, her gaze moved to Rick who was absorbing her every word. Why did she feel the need to justify her actions to him of all people?